Course Description

Throughout this course, students will learn how to communicate in Thai language as they develop their understanding towards Thai culture. The course will provide the environment where students will learn and practice basic skills of listening, speaking, writing, and critical thinking through the content relating to Thai culture in various aspects.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Final Consonants

What is final consonant?

To spell a word, you need the first consonant to produce the first sound of the word and a vowel. Some words have a final consonant to create the sound in the end.

For example,


In Thai language, there are only 8 sounds of final consonant:

ก - produce G/K/C/CK
จาก (jàak)

ด - produce D sound
จาด (jàad)

บ - produce B sound
จาบ (jàab)

ง - produce NG/NK sound
จาง (jaang)

น - produce N sound
จาน (jaan)

ม - produce M sound
จาม (jaam)

ย - produce Y
จาย (jaaey)

ว - produce W sound
จาว (jaow)



VOWELS

Some vowels change form when spelled with final consonant

Vowel อะ
วะ + น
= วัน

Vowel เอะ
เจะ + บ
= เจ็บ

Vowel โอะ
โปะ + น
= ปน

Vowel อือ
ปือ + น
= ปืน

Vowel เออ

เดอ + น
= เดิน

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Midterm Project

GENERAL

The student midterm project is to be an interactive enquiry into student’s comprehension of basic skills in communication in Thai language. Students will create a “One-Day Diary” comic strip about a day in their life. The comic strip must include illustrations and dialogues related to following topics:

1. Meeting new people

2. Ordering food

3. Traveling

4. Giving directions


ASSESSMENT

The “One-Day Diary” comic strip project will account for 50% of their midterm examination or 10% of student’s final grade in the course. The content of their project will determine questions in their oral examination, which will account for another 50% in the midterm examination.


DUE DATE: Nov 25, 2010


GRADE BREAKDOWN

The student’s grade (out of a possible 10-point total) will be broken down as follows:


Content (4)

- sufficient coverage of what is required

- relevant to course content

- story that flows and that is clear

Script/Dialogue (3)

- practical and relevant to the story

- shows applications of ideas presented

- correct Thai usage

Presentation (3)

- shows neatness

- illustrations relate to the scripts/dialogues

- interesting and creative

- evidence of hard work



SAMPLE

ทิศทาง (Tid Taang) : Directions

บน (bon)
on, above

ล่าง (kâang lâang)
below

ใต้ (tâi)
under, beneath

ซ้าย (sái)
left

ขวา (kwǎa)
right

หน้า (nâa)
front

หลัง (lǎng)
back

ใน (nai)
in, interior

นอก (nôrk)
outside, exterior



CONVERSATION

ไป (pai) + ไหน (nǎi)
to go + where

อยู่ (yùu) + ไหน (nǎi)
to be, to stay + where

ที่ (têe) + ไหน (nǎi)
at + where

ไป (pai) + ยังไง (yangai)
to go + how


For example,

กินที่ไหน (kin têe nǎi)
Where to eat?

When answer, you cut the word ไหน (nǎi) out. Repeat กินที่ (kin têe) and follow by the name of the place.
กินที่บ้าน (kin têe bâan)
Eat at home


เขาอยู่ที่ไหน (khǎo yùu têe nǎi)
Where is he/she at?

When answer, you can simply say the name of the place or say...
อยู่ข้าง (yùu kâang) + บน (bon) / ล่าง (lâang) / etc.
to be, at + upstairs / downstairs / etc.


ไปห้องน้ำยังไง (pai hông nám yang ngai)
How to go to restroom?

When answer, just simply say the direction.
ไปข้าง (pai kâang) + directions
to go


Many times, you have to use more action phrases:


For example,


How to tell directions to taxi


Note:
When you want the taxi to make a U-Turn, you can just use the word U-Turn.


You can use the word "แล้วก็" (láew gôr), which means "then" to connect the phrases.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

อาหาร (aa-hǎan) : FOOD

5 Tones in Thai Language

อา
(sa-man)
aah

อ่า
mái àke (low tone)
àah

อ้า
mái dtoh (falling tone)
âah

อ๊า
mái dtree (high tone)
áah

อ๋า
mái jàd dtà wa (rising tone)
ǎah



Conversation: อาหาร (aa-hǎan) - FOOD

ไก่ (gài)
chicken

ปลา (plaa)
fish

หมู (mǒo)
pork, pig

เนื้อ (neáu)
beef, meat

กุ้ง (gôong)
shrimp, prawn

หอย
(hǒy)
clam

ผัก (pàk)
vegetable

น้ำ (nám)
water


Questions & Answers

....ไหม (mái)
Yes or no?


หิว (hěw)
hungry

กิน (kin)
to eat

เผ็ด (pèd)
spicy

อร่อย (aròi)
delicious, tasty

ชอบ (chôb)
to like


....อะไร (a-rai)
What?


สั่ง (sàng)
To order

กิน (kin)
To eat


...ไหน (nǎi)
Where?


กินที่... (kin têe)
To eat at..


Often in restaurants, waiters would ask

รับอะไรดีคะ/ครับ (rúb arai dee ká/krúb)
What would you like to eat?

This is how you answer..
ขอ...menu & number...ที่คะ/ครับ (khǒr ...menu & number... ká/krúb)
I would like __ plate(s) of _____ please.



Thai Favorite Menu

ผัดไทย (pàd tai)
stir-fried rice noodle with eggs in fish sauce and tamarind sauce
Note: ผัด (pàd) = to fry

ต้มยำกุ้ง (tôm yum gôong)

spicy lemongrass soup with shrimp
Note: ต้ม (tôm) = to boil

หมูย่าง (mǒo yâng)
roasted pork
Note: ย่าง (yâng) = to roast, to grill

ทอดมันกุ้ง (tôd man gôong)
crispy shrimp cake
Note: ทอด (tôd) = deep fry

ข้าวผัด (khâo pàd)
fried rice
Note: ข้าว (khâo) = rice
We also use the word ข้าว (khâo) when referring to a meal, breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

ผัดกระเพรา (pàd grà praow)
meat fried with basil

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Monday, October 18, 2010

ยินดีที่ได้รู้จัก (yin dee tee dai roo jak)

VOCABULARY

To be polite, Thai people usually end our sentences with:

คะ (ka) for women
ครับ (krab) for men


Sometimes, in less formal conversations or when we want to make what we say sound sweeter or cuter, we also use:

จ๊ะ (ja)
จ๋า (jaa)


I / me = ผม (pom) for men
ฉัน (chan)
เรา (rao)
ดิฉัน (di-chan) for women
หนู (noo) mostly used by girls talking to older people.

you = เธอ (ter)
คุณ (koon) mostly used with people you’re closed to for politeness

he / she = เขา (khao)

they = พวกเขา (puak-khao)

we = พวกเรา (puak-rao)


what = อะไร (aa-rai)

yes = ใช่ (chai)

no = ไม่ใช่ (mai-chai)

Is it? = ใช่ไหม (chai-mai)



CONVERSATION

Hello

สวัสดี (sa-wad-dee)

My name is ……..
ฉัน/ผมชื่อ .......... (chan chue / pom chue …..)

What is your name?
คุณชื่ออะไร (koon chue aria)

Nice to meet you
ยินดีที่ได้รู้จัก (yin dee tee dai roo jak)

Me too.
เช่นกัน (chen kan)

How are you?
สบายดีไหม (sa-bai dee mai)
เป็นอย่างไรบ้าง (pen-yang-rai-bang)
เป็นไงบ้าง (pen-ngai-bang)

I’m fine.
สบายดี (sa-bai dee)

Thank you.
ขอบคุณ (khob-koon)

How about you?
แล้วคุณล่ะ (laew-koon-la)

Do you understand?
เข้าใจไหม (khao-jai-mai)

I understand.
เข้าใจ (khao-jai)

I don't understand
ไม่เข้าใจไหม (mai-khao-jai)

Where are you from?
คุณมาจากที่ไหน (koon ma jaak tee nai) - You come from where?
คุณเป็นคนที่ไหน (koon pen kon tee nai) - You're people from where?

I'm from.....
ฉัน/ผมมาจาก... (chan/pom ma jaak...) - I'm from...
ฉัน/ผมเป็นคน... (chan/pom pen khon...) - I am....

Sorry / Excuse me
ขอโทษ (kor-tode)

That’s ok / No problem / That’s alright
ไม่เป็นไร (mai-pen-rai)

What kind of person are you?
คุณเป็นคนแบบไหน? (koon pen kon baeb nai)

I am...
ฉัน/ผมเป็นคน... (chan/pom pen kon....)


funny = ตลก (ta-lok)

serious = เครียด (kriad)

good = ดี (dee)

nice = น่ารัก (na-rak), ดี (dee)

kind = ใจดี (jai-dee)

bad = ไม่ดี (mai-dee)

good/talented = เก่ง (geng)

lazy = ขี้เกียจ (khee-kiad)

hard working = ขยัน (ka-yan)

cheerful = ร่าเริง (raa-rerng)

easy going = สบายๆ (sa-bai sa-bai)

straight forward = ตรง (trong)

sensitive = อ่อนไหว (on-wai)

shy = ขี้อาย (khee-ai)

energetic = กระฉับกระเฉง (kra-chab-kra-chaeng)



QUESTION & ANSWER

ไหม (mai)
Yes or no?

ไหน (nai)
Where?

อย่างไร/ยังไง (yang rai / yang ngai)
How?

อะไร (aa-rai)
What?



When you hear
ไหม (mai) in high notes, usually it's a question.

For example,

โอเคไหม (ok mai)
Ok, yes?

จริงไหม (jing mai)
True, yes?

สบายดีไหม (sa-bai dee mai)
You're fine, yes?

เข้าใจไหม (khao jai mai)
Understand, yes?


When you answer...

If it's a "yes", you just cut ไหม (mai) in the end out.

For example,


โอเค (ok)
Ok

จริง (jing)
It's true.

สบายดี (sa-bai dee)
I'm fine.

เข้าใจ (khao jai)
I understand.


When your answer is "no", you just cut ไหม (mai) in the end out and add ไม่ (mai) in the front.

For example,

ไม่โอเค (mai ok)
Not ok

ไม่จริง (mai jing)
Not true.

ไม่สบาย (mai sa-bai)
I'm not well.

ไม่เข้าใจ (mai khao jai)
I don't understand.



NUMBERS

0 zero = ศูนย์ (soon)
1 one = หนึ่ง (nueng)
2 two = สอง (song)
3 three = สาม (saam)
4 four = สี่ (see)
5 five = ห้า (haa)
6 six = หก (hok)
7 seven = เจ็ด (jed)
8 eight = แปด (pad)
9 nine = เก้า (gao)
10 ten = สิบ (sib)
11 eleven = สิบเอ็ด (sib-ed)
20 twenty = ยี่สิบ (yee-sib)
30 thrity = สามสิบ (saam-sib)
100 one hundren = (nueng roy)

Assignments Details

1. Journal Entries

- Students are required to submit at least one journal entry every week about new thing(s) they learn about Thailand, Thai language, Thai people, or Thai culture each week.

- There are a total of at least 11 journals, excluding the final exam week, new-year-holiday week, and last week of this course. Each entry should be at least one-paragraph long.

- Students are encouraged to write in Thai.

- The journal will account for 10% of student’s final grade in the course.


2. Portfolio

- The student portfolio is a collection of student’s assignments in this course. It will show the development of student’s skills in Thai communication as well as the growth of student’s understanding in Thai culture.

- The portfolio will account for 25% of their final examination score, or 10% of student’s final grade in the course.


3. Midterm Project: One-Day Diary

- The student midterm project is to be an interactive enquiry into student’s comprehension of basic skills in communication in Thai language.
- Students will create a “One-Day Diary” comic strip about a day in their life, which must include illustrations and dialogues related to following topics: (1) meeting/greeting new people, (2) ordering food, (3) direction, and (4) traveling.

- This project will account for 50% of their midterm examination or 10% of student’s final grade in the course. The content of their project will determine questions in their oral examination, which will account for another 50% in the midterm examination.


4. Final Project

- The student final project is to be an interactive enquiry into student’s ability to use Thai language as well as to adapt Thai culture into new contemporary product. Students will be given a piece of traditional Thai music, art, or play to be used as an inspiration for their final product.

- The final product must corporate Thai language in one way or another. It doesn't have to be the main focus, but it has to appear in the work.

- This project will account for 75% of their final examination score or 30% of student’s final grade in the course.

Course Objectives

After the students have completed the course learning activities, the students should be able to:

1. Develop basic communication skills in Thai as well as the critical thinking ability.
2. Learn about Thai culture.
3. Able to account what is learned in class to create new meaningful things.
3. Know how to adapt cultural context into contemporary world.